Indonesia Blames Human Trafficking for Surge in Rohingya Refugee Arrivals

President Joko Widodo vows strict action against traffickers as over 1,000 Rohingya land in Aceh Province amidst local protests.

Indonesian President Joko Widodo suspects a human trafficking network is behind the recent surge in Rohingya Muslim refugees arriving in the country, particularly in Aceh Province.
Three Aceh residents have been arrested on suspicion of smuggling 30 refugees from a local camp for $115, indicating possible involvement of a criminal human trafficking network.
Since November, over 1,000 Rohingya refugees have arrived by boat in Aceh, with the latest group of 139 refugees, including women and children, landing amidst protests from local residents.
Since August 2017, about 740,000 Rohingya Muslims have fled from Myanmar to camps in Bangladesh due to a brutal counterinsurgency campaign, with many attempting to reach Muslim-dominated Malaysia or Indonesia by sea.
An estimated 400 Rohingya Muslims are believed to be aboard two boats adrift in the Andaman Sea, facing potential death without adequate supplies, according to the U.N. refugee agency and aid workers.